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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Does this worry you?

97 replies

jellyfrizz · 15/11/2015 10:50

I'm so worried about my children going through the education system at the moment. I can't afford to send them to an independent school.

www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2015/nov/14/secret-teacher-cant-bear-ofsted-going-teach-australia

As a primary teacher myself I can confirm that this is not just one teacher feeling like this, in fact i can't think of a single teacher who doesn't feel like this. It makes me so sad.

What can we do to stop it?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

mrz · 18/11/2015 18:43

blog.voicetheunion.org.uk/?p=3313 from one teaching union

mrz · 18/11/2015 18:44

www.theguardian.com/education/2011/sep/26/no-jobs-for-new-teachers from the guardian

hibbleddible · 18/11/2015 18:50

mrz that article and blog are both four years old. Perhaps the situation has changed since?

rollonthesummer · 18/11/2015 18:55

I think the situation has changed enormously, even in the last couple of years.

mrz · 18/11/2015 19:16

Not seeing it still over one hundred applicants for a single post and students who qualified three years ago still not found first full time job just some agency wirk

MumTryingHerBest · 18/11/2015 19:47

mrz Not seeing it still over one hundred applicants for a single post and students who qualified three years ago still not found first full time job just some agency wirk

mrz, out of interest which areas of the country have a high aplicant to job ratio?

I'm not a teacher nor do I work in a school. However, my DCs school (infant & Junior linked schools) had 14 teachers including the head of the infant school all resign at the same time at the end of the last school year (currently outstanding OFSTED rating).

The junior school had to offer a formal appology to one of the year 4 classes (3 form intake) at the beginning of this school year as they had only had 3 applicants and none of them were of the standard they were looking for.

I understand from the SENCo at another primary school very close by that they have encountered the exact same problem and are struggling to recurit for vacant positions.

Whilst I don't know any of the teachers who have left well enough to ask the reason for their departure, it certainly does seem to be the case that large numbers of teachers are leaving the profession in the area I live and the pool of potential candidates to choose from seems to be more of a small puddle.

rollonthesummer · 18/11/2015 19:58

It's clearly very different in the North East to the South East!

futureme · 18/11/2015 20:13

Lots left our school in the last year. Used to be a very low turnovdr
. now citing "work life balance" but appears to be Mums leaving to just do supply. The one I spoke to said she was fed up of not being able to just get on and teach anymore. Pushing kids to make x levels of progress when really it was a result they were in school and happy. No time in the curriculum to do drama and creative stuff as most of the day is mapped out.

I certainly hope not to return to teacgining at the moment. The workload for my friends who are primary had shot up INA variety of local schools. Having to record every feedback, written dialogue with the kids etc etc.

mrz · 19/11/2015 07:36

We have a very stable staff people simply don't leave unless it's to move into management roles elsewhere or retirement.

rollonthesummer · 19/11/2015 18:00

[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-34731466 bbc]]

Interesting

mrz · 25/11/2015 19:01

ITT providers reporting cuts/possible cuts to PGCE courses in a number of subjects including PE and history ...

mrz · 25/11/2015 19:04

Cambridge one university mentioned as cutting history

rollonthesummer · 25/11/2015 22:00

That's depressing! How will cutting PGCE help matters?

I can see teaching careering into being a job where no one at all has a teaching qualification and the pay is halved.

goingmadinthecountry · 25/11/2015 22:28

We need to get rid of all the poor quality teachers out there - if you can't spell, use good grammar or do long division confidently, you certainly shouldn't be teaching. I'm always hearing about people I know starting teacher training - they don't inspire me and they won't inspire children. Let's get some drive and passion back in this profession.

clam · 25/11/2015 23:59

"However, my DCs school (infant & Junior linked schools) had 14 teachers including the head of the infant school all resign at the same time at the end of the last school year (currently outstanding OFSTED rating)."

Well, I would say that the clue is in that last nugget of information - Ofsted outstanding. The pressure to maintain that status can be immense, or perhaps the SLT that managed to attain it in the first place, put intolerable strain on the staff. The Outstanding school near us lost 50% of its teaching staff last year. A couple of the teachers came to my "only good" school. They are so much happier.

Not sure which would be worse, actually, to work in an Outstanding school or one that is failing.

clam · 26/11/2015 00:01

"We need to get rid of all the poor quality teachers out there"

And what is your definition of poor quality? Does having a good grasp of grammar and being quick at long division mean you're a good teacher?

mrz · 26/11/2015 05:51

I saw some people blaming teacher shortage on fact that many prospective PGCE candidates can't pass the maths competency test and wanted it relaxed 😶

Original poster

jellyfrizz · 26/11/2015 06:43

Let's get some drive and passion back in this profession.

What do you propose goingmad?

I think treating teachers as professionals rather than making them spend all their waking hours accounting for what they've done would be a good start.

OP posts:

rollonthesummer · 26/11/2015 07:10

There's a huge recruitment and retention issue in teaching at the moment with hundreds of superb teachers fleeing the job every month yet you are worried about their spelling?

Put the pay up and stop the pointless workload and micromanagement then good teachers (who will no doubt be able to spell and do long division) will WANT to teach.

As it stands-if you treat teachers like dirt, decent ones will run for the hills and I'm afraid you will be left with 100% 'poor quality teachers'...

Letseatgrandma · 26/11/2015 18:34

We need to get rid of all the poor quality teachers out there

What is your plan...?

MumTryingHerBest · 26/11/2015 20:23

clam - Well, I would say that the clue is in that last nugget of information - Ofsted outstanding

It is possible that is the issue with this particular school. Perhaps that is also why a number of other schools in the area are also struggling to recruit (one rated "outstanding" and four rated "good").

BTW another teacher has handed in their notice and is leaving at Christmas. They are moving to 2 days a week. The class will be covered by three different teachers until a new teacher can be found.

rollonthesummer · 28/11/2015 13:24

More unqualified teachers taking lessons, suggests research
www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-34942797

This is where teaching is heading :(

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